The first time I’ve read this concern, but the debate over horse-drawn carriages is apparently getting heated in New York. A ban was proposed there in 2007 at the urging of animal advocates.

From this week’s letters to council:

Hello, I would like to convince you that horse-drawn carriages are cruel and that they should be banned in Saskatoon. The environment that these horses are forced to work in is not safe for either them or the people around them. The pollution in the air caused by vehicles and buildings is not good for these animals to be breathing in. Walking on hard pavement for a long time can lead to hoof problems, and as most horse people say: No hoof no horse.

Weather conditions can also have a terrible effect, scorching-hot temperatures leading to heat stroke and dehydration. Loud and sudden noises caused by either vehicles or people will spook horses, leading to fatal accidents. There have been many if not hundreds of deathly accidents in New York City related to horse-drawn carriages. I hope this letter has convinced you that this practice is cruel. Please help to end it and send these horses to a better environment.
Sincerely,
Kaitlyn Deschner

We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, and please keep your comments relevant and respectful. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the “X” in the upper right corner of the comment box to report spam or abuse. We are using Facebook commenting. Visit our FAQ page for more information.